Interview with Jonathan Leung- K11 BY AC MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY

Q1. What inspired K11 by AC to introduce ZO&FRIENDS to the Middle East market?

Experience 11 is the anime and IP business of K11 by AC. It has been active in the intellectual property (IP) space, and we always look to acquire or partner with top IPs in the world. Our cultural ecosystem captures the fast expanding ACG (Animation, Comic, Game) to cultivate happiness for consumers and curate immersive experiences and products.

ZO&FRIENDS in particular is a touring global IP that has already seen success in multiple markets. It had sold out products in our hometown of Hong Kong, performed fantastically in Los Angeles, and naturally has strong roots in Seoul, just to name a few cities. ZO&FRIENDS is co-created by IPX and K-Pop artist G-DRAGON.

Because of this strong track record worldwide, we wanted to bring something proven and successful to a market with strong potential. The Middle East, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s dynamic cultural openness, youthful ‘youth bulge’—especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha--- and booming K-pop enthusiasm made it the perfect launchpad for ZO &FRIENDS. This collaboration underscores our commitment to introducing dynamic global Anime and Pop IPs to the region, fostering cultural commerce exchange, and creating unforgettable experiences for our audiences.

With the IP’s strong fandom, fans will be able to visit and make purchases of beloved merchandise in the pop-up store until 5th July. We are thrilled with the overwhelming customer response so far, maintaining strong business momentum since its launch.

Q2. What makes ZO&FRIENDS unique compared to other character or lifestyle brands in the UAE?

We are proud to host the first-ever Middle East debut of ZO&FRIENDS through an official pop-up store at Abu Dhabi. The pop-up sets the stage for future Middle East IP activations, leveraging our strong IP retail platform to engage young demographics. The planning for this pop-up began last year when we identified the right IP to introduce to this market. ZO&FRIENDS stood out for several reasons.

ZO&FRIENDS itself is designed to be universally appealing. The character is extremely cute and approachable, and it resonates even with people who may not necessarily be K-pop fans. For us, it serves as a gateway into IP culture. When we look at places like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where around 90% of the population consists of expatriates from different backgrounds—Europe, the Philippines, India, Pakistan and elsewhere—not everyone may already be familiar with K-pop culture. Having a universally cute character such as ZOA, A&NE, and AKIZAKI helps bridge that gap and attract families and children as well.

We also see this IP continuing to grow. There will be new product releases coming in future seasons, and we hope to bring those to other cities in the UAE as well. In the evolving landscape of cultural commerce, celebrity-backed IP such as ZO&FRIENDS serves as a strategic multiplier, infusing authenticity and aspirational resonance that elevates it far beyond standalone character brands.

Ultimately, it has all the elements needed to become a successful IP: a strong creator, a global platform, the right location and distribution strategy, and a strong track record internationally.

Q3. What market insights influenced your decision to expand ZO&FRIENDS into this region?

From a strategic standpoint, we are looking at a region with a very young and dynamic demographic. We positioned our first installation strategically near Yas Mall and Ferrari World, and we timed the activation to run through both Eid and the Easter holiday period in order to capture strong tourist traffic.

Geographically, Abu Dhabi and Dubai together function as a major regional hub. Within roughly a four-hour flight radius you can reach billions of travelers. This makes the UAE a very attractive location for launching international cultural IPs.

When we look at where ZO&FRIENDS has already succeeded—places like Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, New York, and Los Angeles—the Middle East naturally becomes the next logical region for expansion.

The UAE is surging ahead as the Middle East’s premier Hallyu hub, fueled by bold government initiatives, a vibrant youth bulge, and seamless global links that reshape cultural economies. Especially the government’s plan in creating a “K-City” in the UAE, it is believed to be the new hub promoting K-pop culture. It has also become a key market for Korean cultural exports, with the region’s growing Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumer base.

Before launching this activation, we also noticed that fans had very limited places to purchase official K-pop merchandise in the UAE. Many people had to travel abroad to find these items. By bringing ZO&FRIENDS here, we are helping to fill that gap while delivering something the community clearly wants.

Q4. How important are pop-up activations and experiential retail in strengthening the brand presence?

For us, the concept of cultural commerce and experiential retail is extremely important. We believe strongly in storytelling and creating something that enhances the customer journey.

Experience 11's expertise in cultural commerce is creating interactive, fan-driven experiences that ignite fandom and drive commercial success, cementing its role in fostering Korean-Middle Eastern cultural exchange. The pop-up sets the stage for future Middle East IP activations, leveraging Experience 11's strong IP retail platform to engage young demographics.

When you visit the ZO&FRIENDS pop-up, you will notice that it is very different from a typical pop-up store. Many pop-ups simply present rows of products and encourage customers to buy them. That approach does not interest us. We want them to take photos, interact with the characters, and enjoy the experience. Since opening, we have had fans travelling across the GCC to visit us at Yas Mall so we would like to leave them with a lasting memory.

Everything in the installation is designed as part of a story. Visitors can learn about how the IP was created, how they conceptualized the character, and what each character represents. Once people feel connected to the story, then they may choose to take a product home with them. That is the philosophy behind how the experiences are designed.

Q5. What are your long-term plans for ZO&FRIENDS in the UAE?

Our ZO&FRIENDS pop-up store will run until 5^th July. There will certainly be more pop-ups in the future.

However, pop-ups are not the end goal. They are primarily used to raise awareness and introduce the brand to new audiences. Over time, fans typically want something more permanent.

Because of this, we are planning to move toward permanent retail locations as well. Experience 11 intends to establish permanent stores in the region, potentially multiple locations over time.

 Additionally, Experience 11 is committed to attracting a diverse array of world-class IPs to the region, encompassing not only K-pop but also renowned Japanese anime and other fandom-related brands, enriching the cultural landscape for our audiences.

Q6. Are there plans for regional expansion beyond the UAE?

Yes, there are plans to expand beyond the UAE. From the perspective of Experience 11, we already have a pop-up planned in Bahrain.

In addition, we are working on bringing other K-pop intellectual properties into the region. I cannot disclose the specific names at this stage, but they will likely coincide with upcoming concerts and events.

This approach makes sense from both a marketing and demand perspective. When fans attend concerts by their favorite artists, they also want opportunities to engage with related merchandise and experiences. Our goal is to provide those opportunities and give fans what they want.

Q7. From your perspective, what has been the most rewarding part of launching ZO&FRIENDS in this region?

The entire project involved months of preparation—from a longstanding trust and partnership between our Hong Kong team and IP owners to deploying the pop-up journey with our mall partners.

Personally, the most rewarding part is interacting directly with fans and hearing their feedback about the experience to the team. Observing people enjoy the immersive experience and connect with the characters reaffirms why we strive to create these moments.

Another aspect I find rewarding is seeing the quality of the products themselves. In merchandising, quality control is extremely important. When you see well-made products that people genuinely enjoy—items that are durable and thoughtfully designed—it reinforces that the effort has been worthwhile.

Ultimately, what is most fulfilling is witnessing communities come together around the ZO&FRIENDS experience. While attracting tourists is important, it’s equally vital to engage local communities, fan platforms, and cultural groups. This commitment to fostering cultural connections aligns seamlessly with Experience 11’ s mission as a platform, dedicated to cultivates happiness for consumers, curating immersive “real life, real touch” experiences and products that deliver emotional value directly to fans.